In Frigidaire’s Land | poster

Vincenzo Sparagna, Italian editor, journalist, writer and illustrator, known for being the director in charge, and also one of the founders of Frigidaire magazine, tells of the battle (won) against the eviction of Frigolandia, an “imaginary city” of the type “Artemaivista” of Giano dell’Umbria, in a heart of wood.

What is Frigolandia?

Frigolandia is the “Land of Frigidaire”, a fictional city of Mavista art, the First Maritime Republic of the Mountains, the Socratic Ashram, the European-Tibetan monastery, the Academy of Inventions, the Garden of Peace, Poetry and Music. In simpler words, an urban cultural center in the heart of the Umbrian countryside and rolling hills. This is where the first Museum/Workshop of Maivista Art is located, a serious/satirical movement invented by Andrea Pazinza and I at Frìzzer in April 1985, initially conceived to present my drawings to an ignorant public, but whose concept we have quickly extended to all productions” Authorized magazines like never before”, namely Frigidaire, Frìzzer, Cannibale, Il Male and many more magazines we have created over the years. The Arte Maivista, of which Andrea affectionately and jokingly proclaimed me ‘Supreme Master’, is thus one that existed, but was not seen by critics/critics of the so-called high art, particularly comics, illustration and authorial satire. , each of the art of all times, which, when not actually visible, brings together what Marx called “the secret of aesthetics”, or the ability of images to cross centuries and evoke feelings that renew them with each vision. Our Musée dell’Arte Maivista (MAM) is open to creations ancient or very recent, in constant tension towards the future, but strongly linked to art’s past and relative timelessness.

How long has it been around?

I founded Frigolandia in 2005 with a group of enterprising fellows and we opened it on April 25, 2006 during the 6th edition of the Smart Fridge Liberation Festival. We are in the former Fascist colony of Balillas, abandoned for decades, which we rent for a fee from the municipality of Giano dell’Umbria with an agreement that expires in December 2045. Our fictional republic consists of a group of buildings, which we have repainted and renovated in a beautiful walled wood heart of two hectares always open to the public. The main building houses a gallery of tables, paintings, sculptures, prints, and the editorial staff of Frigidaire and El Novo Mali. All our publications from 1977 to today are archived in their headquarters, tens of thousands of photographs and more than five thousand works, from my parents Cristoforo Sparagna to the authors of Frigidiran, Stefano Tamburini, Andrea Pazinza, Filippo Scozzari, Ugo Dellucci, Franz Ecke, Gianni Cosso, Mario Pescheda, Giuliano and others, even talented young people who have been discovered in recent years such as Maila Navarra, original artist, curator and graphic designer of our publications and web pages, Ivan Manopelli (Hurricane) and many more. In the other two buildings there are rooms to accommodate those who purchase a Frigolandia Passport, as shown on the website www.frigolandia.eu.

A little history of Frigolandia

Since the beginning, thousands of people have visited Frigolandia. We have organized Arte Maivista exhibitions in many large and small Italian cities and interesting seminars. In 2017, the Yale University Library in Connecticut, which is directed by Professor Kevin Ripp, purchased a portion of the Frigidaire Historical Archive to make it available to researchers from around the world. Also in the park is the Oklahoma Nature Theatre, based on Kafka’s novel America. Wooden construction by Mr. Luciano Biscarini, founder of the Akkademia Cafchiana of Foligno. Musical groups, poets and also unforgettable collaborator and friend Roberto Frick Anthony performed on stage. Of course, there was no shortage of economic hardship and persecution. To the hundreds of trials I have had since the time of Il Male, in which the lawyer Nino Marazetta has always defended me free of charge resulting in their acquittal, others have been added. In particular, the civil lawsuit brought by Guido Bertolaso ​​with a request for outrageous damages for my editorial for Frigidaire No. 222 «Bertoldo, Bertoldino and Bertolaso». A court case ended with Bertolaso ​​being ordered to pay the costs of his reckless initiative. Another trial was launched against Frigolandia in 2008 by the municipality of Giano dell’Umbria (then led by the Democratic Party) for lack of arrears. The dispute ended positively in 2012, thanks to the defense of the late lawyer Claudio Franceschini from Foligno, with the defeat of the commune.

Was the eviction completely cancelled? lurking dangers?

The ruling of the State Council of July 6 is clear. The full validity of the conclusion of the agreement is reconfirmed and the municipality warns that if it opens a new dispute to evict us, it should not only motivate it by general and incontestable reasons, but also, if it ends in its favour, recognize the appropriate compensation to Frigolandia, which we have already indicated in the appeal in the amount of two million euros. This result is the result of the excellent work of our lawyers Alessandra Faggiotti from Perugia and Camillo Franceschini from Foligno. The situation is different with regard to other potential risks. Some people are capable of inventing any provocation to fight us, whether out of ignorance or out of cultural and political hatred, or out of suspicious appetite that drives some administrators to demand public money and swallow it for dummy companies. But I want to add that, with the exception of the Manifesto, a few rare intellectuals and some individual left-wing advocates, the silence of the “democrat” Dario Franceschini, former Minister or Soup or Soup of Cultural Heritage has been deafening in this case. This is because there is a vacuum of ideas on the left and complete ignorance of Gramsci’s lesson, which is not the last reason for the current wave of right. I would like to point out that not a single vote has been raised from the Democratic Party in the Gianno Municipal Council against the Mayor of the Northern League and his council, all of whom are partners in affairs concerning money to be obtained for questionable contracts.

Tell us about the next Revolution Festival on the 14th, 15th and 16th of July in Frigolandia

In the middle of July every year in Frigolandia we celebrate the storming of the Bastille and the principles of fraternity, equality and freedom which are the most important legacy of the French Revolution of 1789. This year the celebration will also be a celebration of the victory over the converging reactionary forces that abolished Frigidaire and dispersed the impressive network of young talents from 2006 to today . Our party has no plans. As always, it is inspired by the motto “Bring everything with you, expect nothing”, conceived by Mario Pescheda in 2001. What we love to experience is actually the joy of encounter, the free exchange of feelings and thoughts. I can say for sure that gifts, food and wine will arrive from all over Italy and we will welcome everything and everyone with an appetite and love.